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TMJ and TMD are acronyms for a disorder of the temporomandibular joint, the hinge-like joint that attaches your jaw to your skull. If you clench your jaw, or if it sometimes locks or feels stuck, you may have developed TMD. It can cause pain, headaches, and ringing of the ears as well.

TMD in Holland is partially diagnosed from the symptoms and complaints reported by our patients. The possible symptoms are wide-ranging, but the most reported are:

• Persistent pain in the face, neck, or shoulders
• Headaches and migraines
• Jaws that “lock” in an open or closed position
• Unusual clicking or popping sounds
• Worn, chipped or cracked teeth
• Pain or soreness around the jaw joints
• Congestion or stuffiness of the ears

At Huisman Family Dentistry in Holland, we use MRIs, CT scans, and even Doppler sound recordings to measure the movement and function of your jaw. Once we know exactly how your bit is misaligned, we can recommend appropriate treatment options to relieve your pain. We can smooth or build the surfaces of your biting teeth, replace them with crowns, or fit you with a mouthguard to help prevent clenching and grinding your teeth.

Don’t let consistent pain, headaches, and muscle tension impact your life. Call our Holland dental office at 616.396.5919 if you are experience any of the symptoms of TMD/TMJ.

Have you ever chipped or broken a tooth? If you’ve broken a front tooth, you feel like you can’t go outside, it’s too embarrassing. If you’ve broken a back tooth, you can’t stop exploring it with your tongue, and it makes it difficult to eat and chew.

You may think it’s going to take hours of expensive dental work, but nothing could be further from the truth. Many chips, cracks, and breaks can be easily repaired with dental bonding in one 30- to 60-minute visit. It’s much less expensive than more complex repairs, and best of all, it’s pain-free.

At Huisman Family Dentistry, we will create a composite resin paste that’s custom-matched to your tooth color. The tooth is lightly sanded and coated with a primer. Then the resin is applied and shaped. It’s hardened with a special light, after which the dentist trims and adjusts it to blend with your other teeth, and can be cleaned and flossed normally. A bit of polishing, and you’re ready to go.

The same composite material used for tooth bonding is also used for tooth-colored fillings, to lengthen crowns, close spaces between teeth, and improve the color of deeply stained teeth.

If you live in the Grand Rapids area (that includes Holland, Zeeland, Hudsonville, Douglas and other nearby towns), call our Holland dental office 616.396.5919 call as soon as you can if you’ve chipped or broken a tooth. You don’t want to let that go! Or talk to us about how we can use dental bonding in Holland to improve the look of your smile.